Melissa Dowling

New York

Editor at Cheers@Home

Editor at Cheers Magazine

Editor of Multichannel Merchant magazine

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Articles

Five Takes on The Mint Julep

1 week ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

The 151st Kentucky Derby takes place on May 3, which means it’s time for betting on horses, wearing fancy hats, and of course, drinking Mint Juleps. We love the traditional cocktail, but creative riffs on the classic are fun too. For instance, some Juleps use unique ingredients from black tea to peach jam to raspberry liqueur, while Woodford Reserve’s recipe this year features three mint varieties to honor the Derby’s three winning fillies. Here are five we like for the 2025 Derby.
One Carat | Cheers

1 week ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

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Tips for Mixing With Matcha

1 week ago | beveragedynamics.com | Melissa Dowling |Kyle Swartz

Matcha green tea makes a wonderful drink mixer, especially for spring and summer menus. The vivid green color and grassy notes can make cocktails come alive with the warmer seasons. But you have to be careful when mixing with matcha, to ensure that the tea’s vegetal flavors don’t overpower or clash. You also want to use ingredients that will help keep the green color fresh instead of muddy.
Constellation Selling Mainstream Wine Brands to The Wine Group

2 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

Beverage alcohol giant Constellation Brands on April 9 announced it has agreed to sell its primarily mainstream wine brands to The Wine Group. Brands to be divested to The Wine Group include Woodbridge, Meiomi, Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Cook’s, SIMI, and J. Rogét sparkling wine, along with associated inventory, facilities and vineyards. Constellation will retain its higher-end wine brands, predominantly priced $15 and above.
Archer Roose Launches Pinot Noir | Cheers

2 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

Canned wine brand Archer Roose Wines has unveiled its first new red varietal in five years: pinot noir. The company partnered with Australian winemaker Courteney Wills to create a pinot noir with notes of red berries, a hint of clove and balanced acidity. The pinot noir marks the seventh varietal in the Archer Roose portfolio and rounds out its offering of globally sourced, 13% ABV wines with a second red wine SKU. The brand’s malbec grew 86% in 2024.
Tips for Mixing With Matcha

2 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

Matcha green tea makes a wonderful drink mixer, especially for spring and summer menus. The vivid green color and grassy notes can make cocktails come alive with the warmer seasons. But you have to be careful when mixing with matcha, to ensure that the tea’s vegetal flavors don’t overpower or clash. You also want to use ingredients that will help keep the green color fresh instead of muddy.
What I’m Drinking Now: Nicole Haarklau and The Cosmo

2 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

Nicole Haarklau is corporate director, food & beverage operations at Coury Hospitality. My go-to cocktail is always a Cosmopolitan. The Cosmo is a classic for a reason — it’s elegant and sophisticated, and a perfect balance of sweet, tart and refreshing. It is a great pre-dinner or Happy Hour drink because it’s an easy cocktail to make your own, and vodka is incredibly versatile, which is why there are countless different variations of the Cosmo found in bars and restaurants around the country.
The Big Easy | Cheers

2 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

The Big Easy Course Drinks Keyword Bombay Sapphire gin, egg white, lemon, Lillet rouge, Select Aperitivo, strawberry1 ½ oz. Bombay Sapphire gin½ oz. Select Aperitivo¾ oz. Lillet Rosé¾ oz. Lemon juiceStrawberryEgg whiteMuddle a fresh strawberry in a tin shaker. Add gin, aperitivo, Lillet Rosé, lemon juice and egg white. Dry shake, add ice, shake againDouble strain into a chilled coupe glass. The mixologists at Marion Miami created this recipe.
Drink Experiences: The Alchemist’s Gin & Tonic at Darling Rooftop | Cheers

2 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

Tea is trending right now, from the rise of brick-and-mortar shops dedicated to the drink to the return of high teas as a social gathering to the phrase “spilling the tea.” But at Darling Rooftop at the Park Lane New York hotel, the best tea is what’s served in their Alchemist’s Gin & Tonic. The experience starts when server brings a chest filled with loose-leaf tea botanical fruit tea to the table for guests to select which flavor infusion they’d like in their cocktail.
40 Under 40 Spotlight: George Wright

3 weeks ago | cheersonline.com | Melissa Dowling

Who: George WrightWhat: Beverage directorWhere: Sap Sua in DenverAge: 37First Industry Job: Barback for the Boca Restaurant Group in Cincinnati, OHFavorite Drink: German rieslings, blanc de blanc Champagnes, or Tiki cocktails like a Jungle BirdAs the beverage director for Sap Sua Vietnamese restaurant in Denver, George Wright oversees a collaborative bar team and encourages each individual to bring their own passions to the table.